ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · season · ball · foot · mate · cue · craft · pitcher

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — boats
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com